Thunderous applause, cheers and standing ovations were all part of the response to student performers at the first Totem Pole awards honoring nominees from 11 area schools.

The winners

The production of “Godspell” by students at Chambersburg Area Senior High School earned the Carl Schurr Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical. Schurr was the longtime Totem Pole Playhouse artistic director.

“The committee had their hands full, in a good way,” noted Rowan Joseph, producing artistic director of Totem Pole Playhouse in Caledonia State Park, who co-hosted the awards program with Fred Snyder, columnist for the Gettysburg Times.

“The point spread (for the award) was unbelievable, less that one point for the top three (of five),” added Joseph, who originated the idea for the show.

The award was to have been presented by Melissa Gilbert, who is starring in Totem Pole’s first production of the season “Steel Magnolias,” but she was called away by a family emergency.

Rowan encouraged the packed house “to tell everyone how wonderful this high school talent is. Let’s keep building these numbers. They were all terrific, despite all the snow days and other days off.”

Waynesboro Area Senior High School’s Ben Dennis won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for “Damn Yankees.” Ben acknowledged his co-star Claire Martin, who was up for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. “We’ve been acting together since fourth grade.” He also thanked director Debra Hollen, who has stepped down from the post she held for 20 years at WASHS. Taylor Davis won the nod for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in “Damn Yankees.”

Mercersburg Academy’s Caitlin Cremins earned the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for “Legally Blonde.”

About 30 students were called to the stage to receive the Jean Stapleton Award “for their invaluable contributions to the productions.”

Awards also were presented to:

— Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role — Austin Widmann, “Godspell,” Chambersburg Area Senior High School

— Outstanding Performance by a Featured Female Ensemble Member — Emily Baker, “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” Gettysburg Area High School

— Outstanding Performance by a Featured Male Ensemble Member — James Riford, “Legally Blonde,” Mercersburg Academy